The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-10-08

necessary to come to the rescue of the trustees
lectsdl 1t was appointed by Green Smith. Pres
ident Of the Senate, man who has strong In
terest in the perpstuation of tho present abuses
A place was recently created in the medical
staff, and on the same day given to q nominee
or Mr. Smith. political favor. His sister
held an important position under the manage
mont When the resolution of inquiry was pro-
posed. he made speech in the Senate. stating
it should be done in sef-defense. by the Demo-
cratic party, well as in justice to the manage
ment of the Insane Hospital. Nothing was
said about the rights of the patients or OF the
Taxpayers of Indiana The party and the man
ayers were the things to be defended and Justi-
fed. From personal Investigation. said he. Il
assert on this Senate floor that the Indiana Hos
pital for the Insane is the best managed institu-
ton of its kind Gods green earth" This
was the man invested with the power of ap-
pointing the committee which was to determine
with impartial fairness. whether wrongs existed
At the hospital
Third-The circumstances attending the APP
pointmsnt of this committee were peculiar. The
standing committee benevolent institutions
had for its chairman Senator Kahn, OF Evans
vile, who had expressed doubts whether a trus-
tee who remained absent whole year ought to
be left upon the hospital board. Rshm was not
safe man. a special committee was appointed
which could be relied upon. Senator Rahn HIM
self expressed his conviction rs to the motive of
appointing this special committee, and resigned
from the craftsmanship of the committee on be-
ceeding.
Whom did Senator Smith appoint on the COM
mittees Men who could be trusted. Among
them was Mr. Bailey, the Senator from Marion,
q man who had received his share of the patron
age bestowed by Doctor Harrison at tho hospital.
and who was equally interested with Senator
Smith himself in the main tenance of the present
order of things. Another member of the COM
mttes was Mr. Brannaman, a relative of Mr..
Burrell. one of the three trustees. 1t was easy
enough to forecast the report of committee
thus constituted.
Another indication Of the purpose of the com
mittee is the fact that they made the attorney
~ he 49, %Ea,c@ NJ
torney and allowed him bill of $500 for his SER
vices. When he appeared first before the com
mittee. tsee p 103) the entry is: Mr. "Oliver T.
Morton being present for the Civil-service com
mittee, and Mr.. Henry n. Spaan for the Board
of Trustees" We find no different relation dis
closed until the committee make their report.
Henry N. Span to conduct the examination and
to act as counsel for said hospital" That is, the
attorney. employed by the trustees to defend
themselves against charges of corruption. is the
attorney employ ed by the Senate committee as
their counsel for the purpose of discovering
whether or not there 10 any corruption. The
OF Indiana versus the management or
the institution, far the public
is concerned" And yet the attorney Of the de-
PENDANT in this indictment il employed by the
committee to take charge of the interests of the
State This employ itself is distinct act
of corruption on the part OF the committee as IL
Is An act OF great improperly on the part of an
attorney to accept such Inconsistent rstaners.
AZ attorney for the trustees it is his duty to
that. il possible, they exonerated; as the at
torney for the Senate committee, it 10 his duty
to that corruption and bad management
disclos cd; that the interests of the State
protected. Mr.. Span, however. whose duty it
thus becomes to fight valiantly upon both sides
Of this controversy. confines his efforts to one
side only, and the interests of the State are
rifced, and his duty to the State is neglected.
But It 10 from the State that he draws his pay.
Let ms now consider their report
The committee in this ~ have found facts to
be proven, for which there not a particle OF
I'D 49, xaA 49,
in their report grave charges which were proved
by uncontradicted evidence; ~ and they have
made findings where tho proof was all the other
way. Let us consider some of these matters in
detail
GAPEN, THE FAITHFUL TRUSTEE.
Mr.. Foulke here reviewed the testimony re-
gardine the partisanship OF the asylum manage
ment Next he took up the subject of Gapen,
the faithful trustee One of charges was
that trustee Gapsn was absent the greater part
of the year. running saw mill in Arkansas, yet
regularly drawing his pay. The records Of the
board tpp 9. 10 and III show that between No
vember. 1885. and October. 1856, there was but
one meeting lin February az which Gapen is
recorded present At eleven meetings the
records show. present, Harrison and Burrell;p
the remaining minutes do not show who was
present. This evidence is nowhere questioned .
or explained DR.. Fletcher testfes that Gapen
salary out of the contingent fund. which is never
used for that purpose (pp 354 and 1851. Gapen's
letter requesting it is follows
FORT SMITH Ark, Jan. IA, 1856.
W. B. Fletcher. Superintendent.
Dear Sir-I want to ask to do me a favor and
send me check for this quarters salary out of the
contingent fund. We haven't got to running yet. and
1t is all out and nothing in am in hopes you had
the boiler house completed before this cold weather
want to be with you next board meeting: Yours
truly. P. M. GAPEN.
What do the committee say about these things
in their report Not word 1--WE will state"
they say. 'in general way. that none of the
charges made against said institution by the In
diana Civil-servce Reform Association, except
that the management is Democratic have been
sustained by tho evidence"
We charged that Mr.. Gapen received from
Mellen u Co. $64 II, q rebate for cash upon
bill for uphosterers' hair, sold by that firm to
the asylum. and that Mr.. Gapen failed to ac-
count for the money. The report Of the Senate
committee is also entirely silent in regard to
this charge. Let rs look into the motive of this |
silence. Gapsn swears (p. 594C II took the |
check and sent it to Mellsn g. Co. myself. and
wrote to them to send back a check draft for |
the discount. which they did. drew the money |
on that check draft, whichever it was. and |
paid it to Dr. Fletcher" But he cannot tell the |
time, nor produce the voucher. nor any entry in |
the books, nor did he make any such ex- |
PLANTATION to DR.. Fletcher or any one else,
though the charge hung over him for months
he telegraphed Mr.. Foulke from Arkansas that |
be would look the matter when he came |
home, he did not do this, nor make any state |
ment- and says he aid not consider it necessary.
Fletcher denies utterly that he recsived the |
money. and says 10. 1851: although me: Mr..
Gapen a great many times afterward, especially |
since he returned, never from that day TO this |
has he me- led the fact that he had paid it to |
mo. If he had. he would have corrected my next |
report, because it. would have been plain upon |
pa per that l had omitted TO acconnt for that |
sum and kept the money. Every item of ex-
penditure is put down, and every item Of receipt |
s put dowr. Mr.. Gapen Is the treasurer, and
be is the man who handles these receipts"
In order shift the responsibility on DR..
Fletcher for this matter, Mr.. Gapen resorts to a
novel kind of evidence. He swears (p. 569) that
Dr. Fletcher testified that he never received any
check from Mr. Gapen. and then goes on to
Tor $23. 50, about nine months afterwa ards. in
favor of J. G. Vaughn, which WAS Endorsed back
again by Vaughn, and by Gapen indorsed
Fletcher. and that Fletcher drew the money on
&! What conclusive evidence is this The
check is introduced page 595 and Mr. Will
helm, the book keeper, swears 10. 654l that it
'or flower seeds bought of Vaughn: that they